Throughout this young one’s life, you would always feed him with green tender ears of Shyamaka grass,

यस्य त्वया व्रणविरोपणमिङ्गुदीनां

तैलं न्यषिच्यत मुखे कुशसूचिविद्दे।

श्यामाकमुष्ठिपरिवर्द्धितको जहाति

सोऽयम् न पुत्रकृतकः पदवीं मृगस्ते।

कालिदासमहाकवेः शाकुन्तले चतुर्थात् अङ्गात्

yasya tvayā vraṇavirodpaṇamiṅgudīnāṁ

tailaṁ nyaṣicyata mukhe kuśasūcividde|

śyāmākamuṣṭhiparivarddhitako jahāti

so'yam na putrakṛtakaḥ padavīṁ mṛgaste|

This is a slokam from the Fourth Act of Abhijnaanashaakuntalam, the monumental Drama of Mahakavi Kalidasa

Shakuntala and the hermitage of Kanva are preparing themselves for the inevitable departure of the pregnant Shakuntala to the palace of her husband Dushyanta..

The sage Kanva, the recluse foster father of the young girl could not help shedding tears of separation..

All inmates also silently bid her a tearful farewell..

Even the animals and plants of the hermitage could not brook the idea of this lovely girl leaving them..

A young deer, just stands before her blocking her way..

Kanva says

”You see, this young deer is refusing to move away from your path and blocking your departure..

When this young one got its lips injured through sharp darbha grasses while grazing, you would tend the injuries by smearing oil of ingudi with your soothing hands over the injuries..

Throughout this young one’s life, you would always feed him with green tender ears of Shyamaka grass, and he has grown up eating that alone..

He was just like a son to you.

How can he let you go?”

Kalidasa's poignant depiction of love among all beings.. and especially those who live in the company of pristince nature in all innocence.. should send a great message.

We hardly love anyone to day…

We hardly care for plans and animals..

We can see the plants and animals only as source of food, nothing more..

This is the reason why there is only one Shakuntala,

and there is only one Kalidasa

For Sanskrit lovers

(शकुन्तले ) Oh Shakuntala

यस्य whose

कुशसूचि विद्धे torn by the sharp edges/needles of Kusha grasses

मुखे face

त्वया by you

व्रणविरोपणम् having the capacity to cure sores and wounds

इन्गुदीनां तैलं the oil of Ingudi

न्यषित्यत was applied

यः who

त्वया by you

श्यामाकमुष्टिपरिवर्द्धितकः was nurtured with handful of ears of grains of Syaamaka grass

सः अयं पुत्रकृतकः (मृगशाबकः) That young deer who was treated by you as if he were your own son

ते your

पदवीं न जहाति does not leave your path ( as you start to depart)

Ingudi is a tree from which oil is extracted

Shyamaka is a plant resembling rice... barley etc.. we call it ചാമ malayalam